


Shadow Puppets

by Biscuit Lion (cookiethelion)



Series: Valet Service [2]
Category: British Comedian RPF
Genre: Animal Transformation, Chinese Zodiac, Crack, Dog(s), Dragons, Horses, Master/Servant, Mild Language, Minor Injuries, Multi, Ox(en), Sheep & Goats, Tigers, hints of slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-01-01
Updated: 2012-02-21
Packaged: 2017-10-30 14:20:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,218
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/332687
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cookiethelion/pseuds/Biscuit%20Lion
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It wasn’t every day that Milton had to rush to his Item to take an incoming call, but today was an exception.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Beta'd by Samurottsan  
> \----
> 
> 1\. [Valet Service](http://archiveofourown.org/works/326601)  
> 2\. [Do-It-Yourself](http://archiveofourown.org/works/329398/chapters/531504)  
> 3\. **Shadow Puppets**  
>  4\. [Three Of A Kind](http://archiveofourown.org/works/347835/chapters/565322)  
> 5\. [Goats & Dogs (and a Dragon)](http://archiveofourown.org/works/367242/chapters/596962)  
> 6\. [One For The Enemy](http://archiveofourown.org/works/385254/chapters/630833)  
> 7\. [Leave In Summer...](http://archiveofourown.org/works/423707/chapters/708441)  
> 8\. [...Yet You're Here In My Fluffoughts](http://archiveofourown.org/works/456509/chapters/785402)  
> 9\. [World Is Mine](http://archiveofourown.org/works/493852)  
> 10\. [Hurting For A Very Hurtful Pain](http://archiveofourown.org/works/501077/chapters/879676)  
> \----
> 
> DISCLAIMER:  
> I own nothing except the plot and Zodiac Valet concept. This fanfiction was written purely for fun, and not for profit. Any persons written is not intended to represent the real person.

It wasn’t every day that Milton had to rush to his Item to take an incoming call, but today was an exception. He entered Humphrey’s room, ignored his master’s calls, and swiped the jar containing his glowing pearl. He placed his hands on either side of the container, and nearly dropped it when he sensed that he was being connected to two leaders instead of one.

“Jones, Tuck, I need you. Meet me at the safe house in thirty minutes.” Milton could barely respond when his pearl went dead again, and when Milton turned around to leave, he ran into Humphrey.

“Milton –”

“Sorry, _sir_ , but I need to go. I’ve got Clan business to do,” said Milton as he put the jar down.

“Again? What’s the matter now? If you’re going to make another hole –”

“Relax, it’s nothing like that. Why are you complaining, anyway? It’s being fixed.”

“Yes – because I’m paying straight out of my pocket with little compensation. I _told_ you they wouldn’t believe us.”

“If you want another Valet –”

“No – Milton – you know I … how I feel about you, but I wish you wouldn’t try to knock the place down.”

“I’m sorry to disappoint you, _sir_ , but I’m already taken.”

“What – no, that’s not what I meant –”

Milton raised his eyebrows. “What _did_ you mean? It may surprise you to know that I _don’t_ know how you feel about me.”

Humphrey blushed as he tried to form a coherent argument. “I – I don’t have –”

“It hurts me even more to know you lied.”

“Milton … Milton … don’t look at me like that …” Humphrey’s blush only turned deeper, and he had to feign coughing in order to get rid of it. “Anyway, don’t you need to go?”

“Only when you tell me how you feel.”

“I will not – go to wherever you need to go, Milton, _and that’s a command_.”

Milton turned and left the bedroom; he aimed for the window, but had barely pushed it open when the doorbell rang. Humphrey yelled at them to wait, buying Milton enough time to jump out and shut his escape route behind him. With him out of the way, Humphrey rushed to the door and opened it.

“Matthew …”

Milton hadn’t properly left yet; instead, he had ducked under the windowsill, save for the top half of his face. He watched Humphrey’s cheeks redden again, and he shuffled away to let Matthew, who was equally flustered, enter. They said nothing, or indeed seem capable of making eye contact.

“So … is … is Milton in?” said Matthew.

“No,” said Humphrey, though he directed the answer at the wall instead. He turned to look at the window, but appeared to not notice Milton. “He … left … there – I mean, erm … he … left earlier.”

As intriguing as it was to see a shift in Humphrey’s behaviour, it also repulsed Milton at the same time; the temptation to interfere was too great, and it was at that point that he decided to finally answer his call.

***

By tradition, the ‘safe house’ was a meeting point where the Clan leaders could meet. It changed with each generation, mainly as a security measure, but also as a reflection on the changing surroundings. The current safe house was tucked away in a suburb in East London; what made it particularly worthwhile was how isolated it was – the perfect place to avoid detection from a group of valet-looking people.

Milton landed in the back garden, and took out the key; he unlocked the back door, stepped in, and was in the process of locking it again when someone slammed into him, hugging their arms around him and kissing him on the back of his neck.

“I told you my sweetheart would come in round the back,” said Thom. Milton shook him off and spun around.

“It’s Milton,” he said. “Stop kissing me, Tuck.”

“Get off him, Tuck,” said Shappi as she came into view. She was wearing a pea coat over a knee-length black dress.

Thom complied, leaving Milton somewhat dumbfound; why did Thom never listen to him? Nonetheless, now wasn’t the time to ponder over those matters, and he asked Shappi why she called them.

“I’ve got a problem with a member,” she said. “I can’t do anything, but you have the right members to help me.”

“Not this again,” said Milton as he eyed Thom. Not wanting Thom to interject, he turned back to Shappi. “What’s the problem?”

“Chris Ramsey.”

“Ah. I see how I’m involved,” said Thom.

“Something’s wrong with Chris – he’s dangerously close to becoming an alcoholic, because he’s spending more time off contract than he is on. I’ve tried meeting him and asking him what’s wrong, but he won’t say, and I don’t want to use my powers against him.”

“I still don’t get what this has to do with me,” said Milton.

“We need to trap Chris, and as far as I can see, your two Horses can do the best job.” Milton and Thom nodded, as it finally became clear why she wanted just them. “I’ve checked over the contract, you should be able to get away with this.”

“I’m not sure,” said Thom. For once, he was behaving seriously. “This still isn’t our problem, it’s yours.”

“Yes, I know, but it _will_ become yours if we don’t stop Chris. He’s getting so drunk, he’s forgetting about keeping us a secret. In other words, if we don’t stop him now, he is capable of exposing all of us – not just me, all leaders as well, and any master-bound members – and he won’t be punished because he’s off contract.”

Her argument won them over, and they didn’t linger; they agreed to contact each other again when Thom and Milton have managed to find their respective members, and they went back to their separate households. Milton was forced to go in through the front door, as Matthew was still at his, but before he rang the doorbell, he hid his coat down the back of his shirt. There was a pause, shuffling, and then Humphrey, red-faced with his hair all over his face and his glasses askew, answered.

“Milton, you’re back early,” he said. Behind him, Matthew also appeared to be in a similar state of disarray, and he was readjusting his tie.

“I don’t think I said when I would be back,” said Milton as he sidestepped into Humphrey’s bedroom, careful to keep his back out of Matthew’s sight.

“Hi, Milton…” said Matthew. “Are you alright?”

“Yeah … I just … like to … walk like this …” He couldn’t think of anything less lame than that, but his mind was too occupied to care. Humphrey could tell that Milton was hiding his coat, and Matthew could probably guess, but nobody could mention it. “I think I left my phone in your room.” He didn’t wait for Humphrey’s response, and he shut the door behind him.

Once cleared, he took out his coat and held onto it as he picked up the jar and went through his members’ Items until he found the one he was looking for, and whispered, “I need to see you. Meet me in ten at the usual.” With that, he pulled out of the opposing Item, and was about to find Thom and Shappi’s when he got beaten to it by both of them.

“I’ve got him. Meeting in ten at the usual.”

Thom had barely finished when Shappi added, “I’ll see you in ten.”

“I’ve got him as well,” said Milton. “See you.”

He put the jar down, and was about to leave when he heard the front door shut. He paused, gave it a few more seconds, put his coat back on, and then strode out. As he had expected, Matthew had gone; what he wasn’t expecting was how Humphrey turned on him.

“Why … the _fuck_ did you come back … at _that_ moment?” he said, his voice shaking.

“I didn’t see any ‘no entry’ barriers blocking my way.”

“Milton, I order you to give me a serious answer.”

“I had Clan business to do, and seeing as my Item was in your hands, I had to come back as soon as I could. I doubt I need to remind you about my contract. Now if you’ll excuse me, _sir_ , I have business to attend to.”

Both men were hardly in any mood to talk for much longer, or pry further into each other’s business. Humphrey accepted defeat, and he let Milton go; he watched as his Valet opened and jumped out of the window, disappearing from him for the second time that day.


	2. Chapter 2

Milton swooped into the forest, although his timing was poor, and ended up tumbling through low branches and skidding onto the floor. He got up, shook off any vegetation, and completed his journey by walking; he didn’t get far when he heard galloping from behind, and he sidestepped out of the way.

A piebald horse raced past and, seeing as he had missed his target, did a U-turn and stopped in front of Milton; he reached to pat his neck, and when the horse tossed his head back, Milton leapt onto his back. Together, they completed the run, and when they arrived at their destination, they were pleased to find they were the first.

“Thanks,” said Milton as he got off. He stood back, and watched as the horse changed back into The Boy With Tape On His Face. He looked no different to his stage persona, save for his jacket, which had had its sleeves removed. As silence fell, he started tapping his bag strap, then reached in and wiped his hands, all while looking at Milton. The latter could hardly ignore the stares, and he turned to look at him.

“You’ll see why in a moment,” he said. The Boy frowned, and he put a hand on Milton’s shoulder. “What do you think? I couldn’t even fly. Can we …” He almost said ‘talk’, but in The Boy’s case, that was impossible. “…move on to something else?”

The Boy nodded, and he opened his bag. Milton caught sight of a rose made from tape, and although he was expecting to see a snow globe, it didn’t appear at all.

“Are you still with Lili?” he asked. The Boy nodded, and then turned to look at Milton. “Ah, did she let you use your Item?” Zodiac Valets could only turn into their animal forms with their Item; in the case of master-bound Valets, they had to obtain their master’s permission first.

The Boy nodded again, reached into his bag, and then grabbed something as he spun around and found his target. Milton followed him, and saw he was holding onto a hard hat and pointing the rim at Thom, who had both his hands in the air. The Boy narrowed his eyes, and then lowered his weapon, but not before he made the ‘I’m watching you’ gesture.

“Alright, sweetheart, I was only going to surprise you, there’s no need to start turning your members on me.”

“Milton. I didn’t ask The Boy to do that –” At these words, The Boy spun around and stared at Milton. “Don’t look at me like that.”

“Well, sweetheart, looks like your member doesn’t trust you.”

“ _Milton_. At least my member’s here, unlike yours.”

“Not anymore, Milt.” From behind Thom, a brown horse approached and, like The Boy, it stopped short of running into his leader, and then transformed into Daniel. Milton had never seen a Valet look more uncomfortable than him, even if the only ‘smart’ item on him was his black waistcoat, which he had left undone. 

“Sorry, Thom,” said Daniel. “My _master_ held me up. He still thinks he’s Dr Dre, the c–” He stopped in time to avoid breaking his contract. “You know what I mean. Anyway, I didn’t know we were working with another Clan.”

“It wasn’t my choice – Shappi wanted sweetheart and I to help her.”

“Milton.”

“Good, you’re all here,” said Shappi as she too emerged from behind Thom. “Daniel –”

“Is this about Chris?” said Daniel.

“Yes.”

“Fuuuuuck, I knew this was going to happen.”

Shappi ignored him, and turned to The Boy. “I’ve been having problems with Chris, and I think that the only way to stop him is to trap him here. Can you plan one for us?”

The Boy nodded, took out an A4 notepad and pencil, and wandered off, weaving between trunks, surveying his surroundings, before he disappeared. Now that he was gone, all attention turned to Daniel.

“Daniel, you must know what’s happening,” said Shappi.

“I do, but I’m not telling you,” he said. “If Chris wanted you to know, he would have told you.”

“Drinking’s not going to solve anything. I need to know why he’s been going off contract.”

“I’ve told you, I’m not going to fucking say.”

“Daniel, I’m or –” said Thom. Daniel raised his glowing hands as he backed away, and a blast of air knocked his leader off his feet; the younger man ran for it, sprinting past the trees and over roots and fallen branches, and although Shappi started to chase after him, Milton remained still and clicked his fingers.

“Fuck.” Daniel tripped but levitated before he was lowered onto the ground. He rolled over, sent Shappi backwards as well, and tried to make his escape again, but he had only staggered to his feet when he saw Milton approaching. He tried to knock Milton over, but on the contrary, the older man jumped at the right time, and as he dived at Daniel, he clicked his fingers seconds from colliding into him. As Daniel fell over backwards, Milton landed on top and pinned his arms and thighs to the ground. “Get … off …”

“Not until you tell us what’s happening.”

“I fucking told you, I am not saying a fucking word.”

“Thanks for getting my back, sweetheart,” said Thom as he stopped by Milton. “I can handle him from here.”

“Milton. If you could handle him, you wouldn’t have been knocked over.”

“Oh, _come on_ , I can’t see everything coming, can I?”

Deciding not to comment, Milton turned back to Daniel, who was still trying to wriggle out of his grasp.

“I didn’t want to do this,” continued Thom. “I’m ordering you to tell me, Sloss, what’s happening with Chris.”

Daniel stopped moving, and he shut his eyes. He paused, sighed, and then said in a resigned tone, “Chris wants his contract terminated. He’s getting scared by his master’s behaviour; he hasn’t done anything yet, but it’s …”

“So he’s going off contract to protect himself,” said Shappi.

“His master’s not stupid, he knows Chris can attack him once he’s off contract. I’ve tried asking Chris if he needs help, but he’s not letting me.” Pause. “What you have to understand is that this is his first master; he’s been with him for ten years, he’s been fine until now.”

Milton got off Daniel, albeit slower than usual. He had heard stories about how some Zodiac Valets had stuck with one master throughout their lifetime, and up until then, he had considered Chris to be amongst the lucky few who had a good first master. For thirty years, he had sailed through ten masters, swapping between them like he was inside a pinball machine, before Humphrey had found him. Even though he had grown wary to judging his masters too quickly, very early on, he could say with confidence that he wanted to remain by Humphrey for longer than the compulsory fifty years.

Daniel leapt to his feet, and said, “Are you fucking happy now? If Chris finds out I told you –”

“I’ll stop him,” said Shappi. “I _am_ his Clan leader.”

“Are you alright, sweetheart?” Milton jumped as Thom hugged his waist and pressed himself against him.

“Stop calling me sweetheart,” said Milton as he elbowed Thom out of his way. “I’m _fine_ , I don’t need you hugging me.”

“Really, sweetheart?” There was a gentle tone in Thom’s voice that made Milton turn to look him. “Were you thinking of … your masters?”

Milton nodded, and he could tell that Thom was thinking the same. “You never told me what happened between you and … my current master.” He eyed Shappi and Daniel as he spoke the last part.

Thom didn’t answer for a while, although he gripped Milton’s arm in the tightest hold the older man had felt from him. “I’m not going into it, Milt. We had … _things_ that didn’t work as master and valet, and we agreed to let it go.” Pause. He loosened his hold, although it was still enough to make Milton’s eyes water. “It doesn’t matter what happened, he’s a good master. I haven’t had one that’s been as great as him.”

“…Thanks Thom…”

Thom let go completely, and Milton wiped his eyes. “No problem … sweetheart.”

“Milton.”

“Looks like we’re back to normal, sweetheart.” As if to emphasise his point, Thom cuddled him again.

“Milton. Get – off –” Milton attempted to fling him off just as The Boy returned. His pencil was shorter and blunter, and his fingers were stained with pencil markings. His notepad was flipped open to what looked like the finalised plan of their trap.

Upon seeing Milton shaking Thom off him, The Boy raised his eyebrows, and Shappi and Daniel also turned to watch. Thom was refusing to give way, which only made Milton more eager.

“Stop it, you’re embarrassing me,” said Milton.

“I love it when you blush, sweetheart.”

“ _Milton_. How many times – I’m not in love with you – now get off me –”

His palms glowed, and an explosion of air pushed Thom off, and sent him several feet in the air before he landed on his back. Now free, Milton turned to The Boy, who flipped his plan over and handed it to them to analyse.


	3. Chapter 3

No matter how drunk Chris was, he was unable to avoid Shappi’s demands to see him, and turned up at half eight in the evening. It was clear that he was in a state; his hair had been left uncombed, his face appeared to have acquired a permanent crimson shade, and his sweat-soaked waistcoat was hanging off one shoulder, the body sticking to his equally sweaty t-shirt and jeans. Had he been any more sober, he would have realised something was wrong; even though he _was_ in a forest, the trees weren’t that close to each other to make shadows _that_ thick.

To his left, The Boy and Daniel were crouching; neither had bothered to hide behind anything, not when the shadows were covering them. To Chris’ right, Milton was perched on a treetop, armed with, amongst other things, javelin-shaped missiles made from black tape; below him, Shappi and Thom were half-hiding behind two trees.

“…Hello?” said Chris. He swayed as he spoke, but his words weren’t as slurred as Shappi had been expecting. Despite his appearance, he had made an attempt to sober up, mainly because he knew he would be safer with his leader than his master.

Silence. Chris stepped forward, turning round in wide circles as he took in his surroundings, trying to find Shappi. She watched him panic, and although she wanted to leap out and grab him, she couldn’t ruin the plan, and was reduced to digging her nails into the bark. Chips of it fell off, and Milton was tempted to chuck one of the missiles at her as a way of telling her to stop it, though if he did it, it would only make some noise, and that could be enough to chase Chris away.

 _Come on_ , he thought as he watched Chris venture further in. _Bit more … go in a bit more …_

The silhouette of a dragon leapt out and land behind Chris, followed by tigers, oxen and more dragons, all enclosing him in a shrinking circle. As Milton watched Chris sobering up rather quickly, he couldn’t help but admire the puppetry The Boy and Daniel were using. The contours of the creatures was perfect; he could see the muscles and veins in the tigers, and he wanted to reach and touch one, believe that what he was stroking was a real leg of a tiger, and not just some dense shadows.

A flash of electricity emerged from Chris’ palms, but the suddenness of the move caught everyone out by surprise, including Shappi, who was supposed to be putting up shields to deflect his attacks. The lightning blinded them briefly, but not enough to sustain lengthy damage, and they were relieved to see that the attack had missed. Nonetheless, Shappi wasn’t taking any chances, and as she started to form the shields, Thom unleashed a burst of fire from near one of the dragon’s mouth.

Chris flinched as the flames missed his shoulder. He lifted one of his arms, but was intercepted by a missiles; it struck him on his chest, stopping and forcing him back. It struck him harder than Milton had expected, and it looked as if he was going to stumble through an ox, until a gust propelled him forward, pushing him onto his knees. Another flash of fire erupted behind him, and he rolled out of the way, where he collided into one of Shappi’s shields.

He rolled back, stunned from the impact; even though he was clearly more sober, it wasn’t enough for him to realise that he wasn’t being attacked at all. If anything, he was being provoked into a rage; tiger ears and tails had emerged, and his hands had turned into paws with some of the longest claws Milton had seen, regardless of what type of Zodiac Valet they were.

The dragons reared their heads, sending five jets of flame into the air; this did nothing to stop Chris, and as his claws sliced through the shields, it became clear to the other Valets that they would have to make a move – a prediction which came true the moment Chris’ claws broke through a tiger. He halted, then roared as he swiped at the others, breaking the illusion completely, and sending him into an even stronger fury.

By then, Thom had come into view, and he ran at Chris, dog ears and tail exposed, his claws drawn and ready to strike. Their claws struck, the clash echoing while Thom withdrew first, leaving behind a sound similar to a knife grinding against a sharpening stone. By then, Shappi had also emerged, her ox horns and tail visible; Chris appeared startled to see her in that form, and then attempted to pounce on her. She took a step back, and he missed, landing on his face.

“Chris –” she started, but he sprung up, claws stretched out, and nearly catching the hem of her coat. She dropped her head, catching his weapon with the tip of her now-metal covered horns, before she pushed forward and gored his forearm as his claws slipped further through her horns. He yelped, unhooked himself, and retreated, walking straight into Thom.

Milton was refraining from making a move; the last time he had showed any of his dragon features had been eleven years ago, and he was aware of how dangerous he could become if he wasn’t stopped in time. Besides, Thom and Shappi were handling the situation well, and he suspected that The Boy was holding Daniel back.

Thom, seeing as Chris was now in his arms, attempted to hold him down by pressing his claws against his neck, but was defeated when a backward kick hit him in his groin. He was forced to retreat, leaving Shappi alone with him; under normal circumstances, she could have ordered him into submission, but he was still not sober enough to realise what was happening, or that he was fighting his Clan leader, a move which would have been disrespectful in a normal situation.

Before Chris could land any strikes on Shappi, The Boy dashed out of the shadows, now looking like a piebald centaur, and pushed Chris out of the way with his front legs. Milton could understand the look he was giving; _‘Don’t you dare attack your leader.’_ It was a look that was lost on Chris, who got up and ran at The Boy, claws in front –

It was that moment that Daniel, also looking like a centaur, leapt over their heads and landed forelegs first and at an angle that was _too_ straight between The Boy and Chris. He swore as he hopped and dragged his feet to his left, topped with a wince as Chris, unable to stop in time, cut the side of his right shin. The Boy caught Daniel, helping him steady himself.

“Oh fuck,” said Chris, displaying an alertness he hadn’t shown up until then. “Tell me you’re OK…”

Daniel didn’t answer; his horse features had gone, and his jeans were ripped and bloodied. His other leg was at an odd angle, and although he was keeping his head down, it was clear from his breathing that he was wincing. He eased himself out of The Boy’s grasp, and sat down; Chris knelt down too, and although Shappi walked forward, The Boy, understanding what Daniel wanted, held out an arm and pointed behind her. She glanced at him, but he refused to back down, and she gave in; as she left, he turned to Thom and Milton and tilted his head back, jabbing his thumb over his shoulder.

Thom had, by now, recovered, and he tiptoed past Chris and Daniel, catching up with Shappi as he did so. Milton glided from tree to tree, leaving behind a footprint of shaking branches and falling leaves. The Boy also turned and left, and as he went, any artificial shadows lifted around him, lightening the scene one step at a time.

“Daniel …”

Daniel looked up; his face was red and still wincing, but it didn’t seem to be coming from his injuries. “You … _fucking_ … moron …”

Chris looked down, unable to look into Daniel’s eyes. Instead, he saw the blood dripping from his leg, enhanced by the moonlight like crystals under a spotlight. He looked up again, intending to tell Daniel to get help first, but the look he got back suggested otherwise – which was worrying considering how pallid his face was.

“Don’t you dare fucking worry about me first,” he said. “I didn’t injure myself for that.”

Pause. “I … I know.”

“Do it.” Daniel grabbed Chris’ hand, slipping his fingers in between his, stroking the back of his palm. Chris tightened his grip, and then slumped forward. His head hit Daniel’s shoulder, and his other arm scooped his waist as he began to sob; Daniel pulled Chris closer to him, his chin and other arm resting on his shoulders. “Stop drinking, and break the contract. Fight him off if you have to. Just break it.”

Chris nodded, but it did nothing to stop his tears. The next few minutes passed that way; Daniel’s injuries were forgotten about, but they were remembered again when he cried out and blacked out, this time held up by Chris. Shappi and Thom rushed to help, and so did The Boy, but not before Milton touched his shoulder, albeit harder than he had wanted, and therefore drawing the other man’s attention. He looked concerned, but Milton shrugged it off.

“I’m fine,” he said. “Daniel will be alright without me. Go back to Lili when you’re done.”

Milton didn’t fancy facing The Boy any longer, and he flew away as soon as he finished. His balance was as poor as it had been several hours ago, and he struggled to reached the altitudes he normally did. If anything, he was relying on the night sky, televisions and laptops, stubborn houseguests overstaying their welcome, empty pubs and club bouncers to stop him from being sighted by anyone at that time of night.

His journey went unaffected, but he didn’t bother taking off his coat as he walked up the stairs to the flat. He had no time to worry about Gertrude, Warren or any other neighbours, and when he reached the third floor, he kept his finger down on the doorbell. The door flung open, and Humphrey was about to talk when he noticed Milton’s attire, and he halted.

“Why are you –?”

The other man said nothing, but walked past him. Humphrey shut the door and turned around, only to be ambushed by Milton, who had thrown himself at his master and hugged him, his arms hemming his lower rib cages, his head resting on Humphrey’s chest. Humphrey stood to the spot, his arms open, unsure how to handle the situation; a part of him wanted to hug back, but just thinking about it made him blush, and he stiffly rested one arm on Milton. His hand gripped Milton’s shoulder in a failed attempt at pushing him away, but then he put his other arm around him, even if it made his grip all the more solid. Nonetheless, he smiled at himself, an expression which only lasted several seconds once he realised what he was doing.

 _At least Milton didn’t see that_ , he thought. He loosened his grasp a little, and his hips wiggled as he tried to break from Milton's hold; this was getting awkward now.

“Milton … can … can you let go of me?” Pause. “Please?”

“Sorry.” Milton let go, and then straightened his coat again.

“You’ve been all over the place today. Are you sure you’re OK?”

“I’m fine _now_. Thanks, Humphrey.”

“It’s … look, don’t do that again.” Humphrey’s face reddened as he spoke. “Where the fuck did you go today? I’ve had to do everything by _myself_ , and it wasn’t –”

“You … lazy … person.” Milton had thought of another word to end that sentence with, but his contract forced him to replace it. “I’m not always going to be around.”

“Don’t say it like that. You know I’m – no, I’m not telling. I’m not saying it again.”

Milton raised an eyebrow. “Really?”

“Yes, really, and I _command you_ to … to … fetch me … the … my laptop. Get me my laptop.”

“As you wish, _sir_.”

Humphrey sat down, and as he waited for Milton, he couldn’t help but admit that the hug was lovely, though he wasn’t keen for a repeat any time soon.

***

“Thanks Jones. Chris is free now. Thank The Boy for me.” That was the message Shappi sent Milton the following midday, and as he searched for The Boy’s Item, the doorbell rang. He heard Humphrey fetch it, but at that moment, The Boy answered, and he was distracted passing on the thank you. When he finished, he approached the doorway, and stepped back again when he saw Matthew sitting rather close to Humphrey.

Seeing as he would be going nowhere soon, Milton stayed inside Humphrey’s room, and gave the place a cursory glance until he spotted the window. He craned his neck to get a better view, but unless he was mistaken, didn’t he just see another dragon fly past? There were hardly any clouds, and the sky was a light blue today, making it the perfect conditions to see other flying Zodiac Valets.

He opened the window and stuck his head out, but saw nothing. He was beginning to doubt whether he _had_ seen anything at all; maybe it was just his imagination and desire playing with him … _again_.


End file.
